A project to bring a skatepark to Arbroath is on the brink of collapse unless £27,000 can be raised by the end of January.
Arbroath Skatepark Project Club has found £175,000 of the £202,000 required to make the plans a reality but time is running out to find the last chunk of the budget.
The Scottish Government’s Active Places fund, set up to build or upgrade local sport and recreation facilities around next year’s Commonwealth Games, has contributed £100,000 to the scheme.
However, a condition of this critical funding is that the project starts by June 1 next year and be completed by August 31.
To meet these deadlines, the project needs to go out to tender at the start of February, with all the funds pledged or in place at this point.
Jillian Low, who has led the fundraising for the skatepark for the past three years, explained.
“The shortfall must be secured by the end of January or there is a real risk of falling behind schedule and ultimately, forfeiting the Government award.
“We are under immense pressure to find the remaining 13%, a relatively small amount, yet so critical to the successful completion of the project.
“To fall at the last hurdle would be devastating for the group and indeed, for Arbroath at large.”
The Government award is for 50% of the cost, up to a maximum of £100,000. This means for every pound the group fails to raise, their budget is reduced by £2.
If no more money was found, the group would have raised £75,000 independently, which with the match funding would create an overall budget of £150,000.
“The current plans can’t be done for this amount and it would be too difficult and too late to redesign the park and create new drawings at this late stage before they would have to go out to tender in February,” Jillian said.
“It’s basically the case that we need to find the extra £27,000 or we lose the Government funding and the whole project falls apart. Failure is simply not an option.”
The group is writing to all 220 businesses in Arbroath with a desperate plea for donations. The effort has the full support of Angus councillors, who have also appealed for businesses and members of the public to help.
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather said: “We are running out of time but we are so close.
“We are looking for local businesses to be kind-hearted at this time of year and we can get the skatepark built for the youngsters in the town.
“It would be heartbreaking for it not to go ahead at this late stage.”
Fellow councillor Ewan Smith added: “It’s a real concern. A skatepark would really complete the West Links area and would mean that older children in the town have somewhere to go.”
Angus Council has contributed £30,000 towards the project.
A council spokesperson said: “The Legacy 2014 funding sets out that we have to start work on the site in June 2014 and complete works by the end of August.
“To meet these dates, the tender will be issued in February and we cannot go out to tender unless we have an assured funding package in place.”
A Government spokesman said: “The funding rests on further money being raised to support the facility. We can offer a certain degree of flexibility and encourage the organisers of the Arbroath Skatepark Project to discuss any concerns they have with sportscotland.”
Anyone looking to donate is asked to email asp.2010@hotmail.co.uk.